Chapter 33
The next few hours, a chain of events began that seemed to unravel the happy life that the former Centre prisoners, had tried to make for themselves.
Jarod had watched, as Emily left in a cab that was taking her to the airport. She hadn't wanted Jarod, or anyone else to drive her. Jarod hated that his sister was leaving like this.
After watching the cab drive off, Jarod picked up his cellphone and tried to call Mallory. The phone was turned off for some reason and that began to make Jarod feel uneasy. He quit trying, when he saw Ethan come down the stairs. He looked tired.
'Did Emily leave?' he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
'Yes....did she say something to you about it?'
Ethan shook his head.
'No. Maybe it's best.'
Jarod frowned, eyeing his little brother.
'You look terrible. Did you sleep at all last night?'
But Ethan did not answer that. He looked at the phone in Jarod's hand.
'Have you talked to Mallory yet? How is Atlanta going?'
Jarod shook his head.
'I haven't heard anything from her yet. I'm starting to get worried.'
'You should be worried, Jarod. My inner sense has been keeping me up all night...only I don't know what it is that's bothering me exactly. I don't even know that it has anything at all to do with Mallory.'
The phone rang just then. Jarod walked over to the table it sat on and snatched it up, hoping like hell it was his wife! Ethan had spooked him!
'Hello?'
'Jarod?'
'Sidney! Hey, good to hear from you and....'
'Jarod,' his cousin gently interrupted. 'I need for you to come to Sydney's house.'
Jarod felt himself grow cold.
'What is it?'
'Maybe I shouldn't go into it over the phone.'
'Sidney, tell me!'
Sidney cleared her throat.
'Michelle is dead...looks like she was murdered. Sydney is missing.'
Jarod reeled back! Ethan moved closer to his brother.
'What is it? Is it Mallory?'
But Jarod could barely breathe. Somehow he managed to, as he asked his cousin a question.
'Do you think Sydney did it? Why is the CIA there anyway?'
'Jarod, please come here right away. You were a Pretender...I think your skills are going to be needed more than ever now.'
There was a silence. Ethan stared at him.
'Jarod? Jarod, talk to me!'
Brian was coming down the stairs just then, and could tell by Ethan's tone, that something was wrong. Jarod found his voice again.
'It isn't over, is it? This is Centre related, isn't it? Where is Mallory? Where is my wife?! I haven't been able to reach her...'
'Jarod, Lyle was broken out of prison a half an hour ago.'
'I didn't ask you about that sonofabitch! I want to know where my wife is?!' Jarod almost screamed. Brian leaned against a wall, frightened! He had never heard Jarod swear, much less sound so out of control! Ethan took the phone from Jarod.
'Sidney? It's Ethan. What's happened?'
'Ethan, we need you to bring Jarod, Brian, Abigail and yourself here...we can take you all to a safe house.'
'Why?! What's happened? Where is my sister?'
'Ethan, Michelle is dead. Nicholas is here and he's beside himself. Lyle was broken out of prison a half an hour ago and Mallory...'
'What about Mallory?' he asked. Jarod managed to compose himself and he snatched the phone from his brother.
'Where is my wife, Sidney?!'
'Probably with the same people that took Sydney, Jarod. They'll probably be coming for Broots, you, Ethan...Brian and Abigail....'
'No!' Jarod snapped. 'How is that possible?! There was a trial...'
'Jarod, I am sending a car...I'll be in that car so that you know it's safe! But just don't go anywhere until I get there, okay? We will fix this! We will fix this!'
Jarod hung up and Sidney wanted to throw her phone! How could everything have gotten so screwed up?!
Vaughn walked up to Sidney. He put his hands on her shoulders.
'Are you alright?'
'Oh God, Michael how can I be?! We just had dinner with them yesterday! And Jarod...I mean if he has to go through all of this Centre crap again...'
'Then he will, Sid. Your cousin is a lot stronger than he looks. Look at how long he survived on the run. Plus, we know about these people...we won't let them get away with this again.'
Sidney nodded, calming down. She usually didn't get so emotional when she was faced with death, but this was different. It was almost as if the two years that she was undercover at the Centre, had been a waste of her time.
****
It was not long before Jarod, Ethan, Brian, Nicholas and baby Abigail were brought into custody at a CIA safehouse. Sidney wanted to speak to Jarod first, before they went back to the crime scene.
She pulled her cousin aside.
'We're bringing in Major Charles, Catherine Parker and Mallory's twin sister, Melanie.'
'Kidnapping Sydney and killing Michelle...this is Centre operated, isn't it? Who broke Lyle out of prison? I mean, who's still around? Your mother? Who?' Jarod asked.
Sidney folded her arms.
'First of all, the local police think that Sydney killed his wife. We had to pull rank and take over.'
'They think Sydney killed Michelle? That's ridiculous!' Jarod snapped, feeling more and more agitated.
'Well, they don't have control over the investigation anymore, so it doesn't matter what they think, Jarod. We think that when Arvin Sloane made his plans to take over the Centre, certain plots began to take place.'
Jarod shook his head, glancing back over at Brian, who was holding Abigail.
'What plots?'
Sidney shook her head, disgusted with herself. Why hadn't she seen any of this coming?'
'Sidney, just tell me.' Jarod said in a calm voice.
'We think that Lyle faked Mr. Raines's death.'
Jarod just stared at her for a moment. Then he found his voice.
'Where is Brigitte? Is she in on this too?'
Sidney looked at Michael, who was moving closer to them. Jarod turned around and silently acknowledged him.
'Jarod,' Vaughn said, 'we have a tape we want you to look at. Then I think all we be clear..sort of.'
Jarod nodded, then walked over to Brian, Abigail, Ethan and Nicholas. He reached out and touched Nicholas's arm.
'I am sorry for your loss, Nicholas. We will get Sydney back. We will get the people that did this.'
'Jarod, just tell me: are these the same people that you were running from all of those years?' Nicholas asked.
Brian gasped! Abigail looked up at him.
'You said they were all in prison?!' Brian almost squeaked, clearly scared. Ethan put an arm around him.
'It will be alright.' he said. But Brian was not appeased.
'Where is Mom?' Brian asked Jarod. Jarod didn't answer him at first. It was a shame that Mallory could not be here to hear her son refer to her as 'Mom'.
'We don't know,' Jarod answered gently. 'But Sidney, Vaughn and I are going to fix this. Just stay here. I have to look at something with Sidney and Vaughn.'
'What?' Brian asked. But Ethan could tell that Jarod was not in the mood to play 20 questions.
'Come on, Brian. Let's just sit over here, okay?'
Nicholas reached out and took Abigail from a clearly distraught Brian. They then sat down. Other agents walked up and asked them if they wanted anything to eat or drink.
Jarod turned and walked back over to Sidney and Vaughn.
'Show me this tape.' he said.
****
Moments later, Jarod watched, as his wife walked into a prison waiting room to talk to Brigitte. Right away, Jarod took notice of the fact that Brigitte was wearing a suit. He looked over at Sidney and Vaughn.
'Where is her jail uniform?'
Vaughn cleared his throat.
'It looks as if this whole thing was a ruse to lure Mallory there. We have rounded up the rogue agents that helped pull this thing off, but we still haven't determined how or when they were turned.'
Jarod looked back at the tape, then watched as his wife turned around, as if she was looking at someone else that entered the room. Soon, Raines and....'
'Good God!' Jarod uttered.
'Yes, we don't think Mr. Parker died when he jumped out of that plane. We think that they were aware that there was going to be a take over, one that they were ill equipped to fend off. So a plan was put into motion. One that would lead Arvin Sloane to believe that all of his obstacles were taken care of, when in reality, his enemies were just regrouping, so they could eventually reclaim the Centre.' Sidney said.
'But,' Michael continued, 'neither Sloane, nor Mr. Parker and company, counted on the CIA infiltrating their organization.'
'With me.' Sidney said softly. Jarod was listening, but he was watching his wife's facial expressions of true horror. There was no sound, but he could see that she was distraught over her father returning from the dead.
Then Mallory turned back to face Brigitte. Jarod almost choked when he saw Raines pull out that needle and stab her in the back of the neck!
'What the hell was that?! What has he done to my wife?!' Jarod snapped.
'From the way she's collapsing...I'd day it's some sort of sedative or something.' Vaughn guessed.
'What the hell is going on here? You're saying that Mr. Parker is trying to create a new Centre?' Jarod asked tightly.
Sidney took a deep breath.
'Yes, in Carthis.'
Jarod's eyes widened!
'Carthis?!'
'Yes, Jarod, we also believe that they're going to want everyone back....Mallory, Sydney, Broots....'
'Myself and my children, right?' Jarod asked in a low tone. He watched as Mallory was dragged off out of the waiting area.
Sidney put a hand on his shoulder.
'That's not going to happen. We have Broots and Debbie here, safe. You all are going to stay here until...'
'No.' Jarod said. Vaughn looked at Sidney.
'Jarod, you have to stay here.' Vaughn cautioned him.
'I have to find my wife and Sydney.'
'Jarod, we will do that.' Sidney reassured him.
'Sidney, you have no idea what these people are like, or what they're capable of. Mallory is not the same woman she once was. Sydney has a new life....when they do not acquiesce to 'Centre Way of Life' again, there will be consequences....probably fatal. I'm going with you.'
'Jarod...'
But Vaughn pulled Sidney aside.
'Sid, he does know these people, probably better then anyone. He may be able to predict their next move. Plus, Broots is practically shaking in his boots, so we can't take him along. I mean, he does have a daughter.'
'And Jarod has a son and a daughter. No! He's just going to have to wait here. I won't put him in harm's way.'
Vaughn took a deep breath.
'I'm going to have to overrule you on this one, Sid.'
Sidney's mouth dropped open!
'Michael!'
'I'm sorry, but Jarod can take care of himself. And the sooner we shut this operation down, the sooner we can get back to living our own lives again.'
****
CENTRE PLANE
A livid Sydney, sat next to the still unconscious Mallory. He stood up and faced Mr. Parker.
'You killed my wife!'
Mr. Parker sighed heavily.
'That wasn't me, Sydney. It was two of my overzealous Sweepers. I'm sorry about the bloodshed, really I am, but if your wife hadn't been so obstinate about your coming with us...'
'You won't get away with this. Jarod and the CIA will come after you.'
'Yes, well we have plans for any CIA agents that try and stop us, no thanks to Raines over there.'
Raines was sitting in a seat next to Lyle, who was reading a paper.
'And,' Mr. Parker continued, 'it will be easier if Jarod comes to us and surrenders himself, and the kids. I hate the idea of making my Angel hunt him down again.'
Sydney glanced down at the unconscious Mallory. He then looked at her father again.
'What the hell are you talking about? Why would you think she would hunt Jarod again? He's her husband and the father of her children.'
'Shut up, Sydney!' Mr. Parker snapped. Brigitte came out of a back room and stood by her husband's side.
'Bobby is taking a nap now.' she said. Mr. Parker just nodded, but was still glaring at Sydney.
'What is the matter with you? Why can't you just leave us all in peace?'
'Because the Centre is my children's legacy and I will never give that up, ever! And Jarod is important to the survival of my future...of all our futures.'
'What?! Look, Mallory is never going to go along with this. Never!'
Mr. Parker raised a brow.
'Oh sure she will. You see, Mr. Raines, while in exile, was tinkering with that wonderful little drug that we gave Jarod and my Angel, years ago, and again, when she took up with him later on. When my little girl wakes up, she will be exactly like she used to be.'
Sydney's heart sank! Good God! He then looked at Brigitte.
'She's going to remember that you killed Thomas.'
Brigitte smiled.
'She'll wake up in a time when Thomas was not in her life. Though, I think Bobby will be hard to explain.'
Mr. Parker shrugged.
'We'll say he's your nephew or something. Oh...look here, she's coming around.'
Sydney swiftly sat down next to Mallory, hoping against hope that the drug had not worked again! He touched her face.
'Mallory? Mallory?'
'It's Ms. Parker to you, Sydney! You'd best remember that.' Mr. Parker said in almost a low growl.
Mallory awoke and looked around. Sydney was sitting next to her, and her father and Brigitte...what the hell had that woman done to her hair?!
'Angel? You were having some kind of nightmare.'
Mallory shook her head. She then slapped Sydney's hands off of her face!
'No, not that I remember. Syd, why are you looking at me like that?'
'Where are we?' Sydney asked her. Mallory's eyes widened.
'On a plane, okay?'
'Why?'
'Why what?'
'Why are we on the plane?' Sydney asked.
'Because we have a new lead on Jarod and we're going to pick him up. Daddy has hopped a ride with Brig-IT so they can go to some resort and Lyle and Raines are here to just take up air and space! What's with the 20 questions?'
Mr. Parker was immensely pleased!
'That's right, Angel.' he said, before he and Brigitte walked off. Raines and Lyle were looking over at them. Mr. Parker stopped to talk to them, while Brigitte moved to the next cabin to check on her little boy, for the millionth time.
'Mallory, you have to listen to me...'
'What did you call me?' Mallory snapped.
'Mallory...'
'How did you know that?'
Sydney took a deep breath. Jarod had once told him that Ms. Parker had whispered her real name to him, when they were children. Then, when it finally looked as if they were all free of that damnable Centre, only then, did Ms. Parker go by Mallory.
'Jarod told me.' Sydney said carefully.
'Jarod? Oh that's just swell! Where is Broots? I want to pinpoint Goldenboy's exact location to we can get the jump on Lyle!'
'Ma...Ms. Parker. You don't really want to capture Jarod.'
Ms. Parker looked around. What the hell was wrong with Sydney?
'Sydney, look I know he's like a son to you. I mean we all know if there was any other way...but there isn't. The sooner Jarod comes back home, the sooner...'
'Ms. Parker, listen to me! You have been drugged! You are married to Jarod now. You have two children...'
'What?!' Ms. Parker cried out. She jumped up. Mr. Parker and Lyle hurried over.
'What is it, Angel?' Mr. Parker asked, eyeing Sydney.
But Ms. Parker could not out Sydney. She just couldn't.
'Nothing. Just a little disagreement. Everything is fine.'
Lyle eyed her and Ms. Parker gave him a harsh stare in return. Lyle finally broke off eye contact, and he and Mr. Parker drifted away again.
Sydney looked at her.
'Thank you.'
'Don't thank me, Syd! It's obvious you're now working with Jarod against me! Where IS Broots?!'
'He's not here because he works for the CIA, Ms. Parker. You have been drugged, Jarod and you are married and you have a teenage son that was stolen from you when you were a teenager and a baby girl. You were kidnapped and drugged. The reality that you're mind is in now, is not the one we really live in. I have been kidnapped as well and my wife...'
Ms. Parker began to back away.
'Sydney? You need help. You don't have a wife.'
Sydney began to say something else, but she moved away from him, fearful. Sydney was the one that had been drugged, not her! And she planned to find out why such a cruel, unnecessary step was taken! Good God! The man even thought he had a wife! And Broots with the CIA?! Ha!
But the biggest laugh of all was that nonsense about her and Jarod having shared children! What a joke that was! Though, Jarod was not bad looking or anything. He never was. But she would never consider a relationship with him. She had always thought of him as more of a secret brother or something.
Lyle walked back over to her.
'So, we're setting a trap for Jarod in Carthis.'
'Carthis?'
'Yes and you're the bait.'
Ms. Parker shook her head slightly.
'Why? When he sees me he's just going to run the other way, same as always.'
Lyle's jaw tightened.
'This is the way our father wants to do it, okay?' he said and walked off. Ms. Parker's eyes locked with Sydney's, before she turned away. It was the first time she was beginning to feel as if something wasn't quite right.
Ms. Parker put her hands in her jacket pocket, and felt something. She pulled it out. It was a cellphone. One that she had never seen before.
Ms. Parker looked around, to make sure that no one was watching, then turned it on and began looking through the numbers. The numbers were for people named, Sidney...only that wasn't the way she spelled Sydney's name, Vaughn, Brian and....and... Jarod?!
Ms. Parker looked around again. She had a cellphone in her pocket with Jarod's cellphone number in it? Why? That made no sense because then, she would've caught him long ago!
And who were these other people listed?! Ms. Parker walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She then picked a name, other than Jarod's, and let it dial.
Meanwhile, Brian, who had his cellphone in his pants pocket, reached into it and pulled it out, looking at the number. His face lit up! It was his mother!
'Ethan! Mom is on the phone!' he cried out, as Nicholas jumped up and ran off to find Jarod.
'Mom?! Mom?! Where are you?! Dad and cousin Sidney are coming for you! Mom?! Mom?!'
Ms. Parker's hands began to shake, as she turned the phone off and let it fall to the floor. She stared at it for the longest time.
The next few hours, a chain of events began that seemed to unravel the happy life that the former Centre prisoners, had tried to make for themselves.
Jarod had watched, as Emily left in a cab that was taking her to the airport. She hadn't wanted Jarod, or anyone else to drive her. Jarod hated that his sister was leaving like this.
After watching the cab drive off, Jarod picked up his cellphone and tried to call Mallory. The phone was turned off for some reason and that began to make Jarod feel uneasy. He quit trying, when he saw Ethan come down the stairs. He looked tired.
'Did Emily leave?' he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
'Yes....did she say something to you about it?'
Ethan shook his head.
'No. Maybe it's best.'
Jarod frowned, eyeing his little brother.
'You look terrible. Did you sleep at all last night?'
But Ethan did not answer that. He looked at the phone in Jarod's hand.
'Have you talked to Mallory yet? How is Atlanta going?'
Jarod shook his head.
'I haven't heard anything from her yet. I'm starting to get worried.'
'You should be worried, Jarod. My inner sense has been keeping me up all night...only I don't know what it is that's bothering me exactly. I don't even know that it has anything at all to do with Mallory.'
The phone rang just then. Jarod walked over to the table it sat on and snatched it up, hoping like hell it was his wife! Ethan had spooked him!
'Hello?'
'Jarod?'
'Sidney! Hey, good to hear from you and....'
'Jarod,' his cousin gently interrupted. 'I need for you to come to Sydney's house.'
Jarod felt himself grow cold.
'What is it?'
'Maybe I shouldn't go into it over the phone.'
'Sidney, tell me!'
Sidney cleared her throat.
'Michelle is dead...looks like she was murdered. Sydney is missing.'
Jarod reeled back! Ethan moved closer to his brother.
'What is it? Is it Mallory?'
But Jarod could barely breathe. Somehow he managed to, as he asked his cousin a question.
'Do you think Sydney did it? Why is the CIA there anyway?'
'Jarod, please come here right away. You were a Pretender...I think your skills are going to be needed more than ever now.'
There was a silence. Ethan stared at him.
'Jarod? Jarod, talk to me!'
Brian was coming down the stairs just then, and could tell by Ethan's tone, that something was wrong. Jarod found his voice again.
'It isn't over, is it? This is Centre related, isn't it? Where is Mallory? Where is my wife?! I haven't been able to reach her...'
'Jarod, Lyle was broken out of prison a half an hour ago.'
'I didn't ask you about that sonofabitch! I want to know where my wife is?!' Jarod almost screamed. Brian leaned against a wall, frightened! He had never heard Jarod swear, much less sound so out of control! Ethan took the phone from Jarod.
'Sidney? It's Ethan. What's happened?'
'Ethan, we need you to bring Jarod, Brian, Abigail and yourself here...we can take you all to a safe house.'
'Why?! What's happened? Where is my sister?'
'Ethan, Michelle is dead. Nicholas is here and he's beside himself. Lyle was broken out of prison a half an hour ago and Mallory...'
'What about Mallory?' he asked. Jarod managed to compose himself and he snatched the phone from his brother.
'Where is my wife, Sidney?!'
'Probably with the same people that took Sydney, Jarod. They'll probably be coming for Broots, you, Ethan...Brian and Abigail....'
'No!' Jarod snapped. 'How is that possible?! There was a trial...'
'Jarod, I am sending a car...I'll be in that car so that you know it's safe! But just don't go anywhere until I get there, okay? We will fix this! We will fix this!'
Jarod hung up and Sidney wanted to throw her phone! How could everything have gotten so screwed up?!
Vaughn walked up to Sidney. He put his hands on her shoulders.
'Are you alright?'
'Oh God, Michael how can I be?! We just had dinner with them yesterday! And Jarod...I mean if he has to go through all of this Centre crap again...'
'Then he will, Sid. Your cousin is a lot stronger than he looks. Look at how long he survived on the run. Plus, we know about these people...we won't let them get away with this again.'
Sidney nodded, calming down. She usually didn't get so emotional when she was faced with death, but this was different. It was almost as if the two years that she was undercover at the Centre, had been a waste of her time.
****
It was not long before Jarod, Ethan, Brian, Nicholas and baby Abigail were brought into custody at a CIA safehouse. Sidney wanted to speak to Jarod first, before they went back to the crime scene.
She pulled her cousin aside.
'We're bringing in Major Charles, Catherine Parker and Mallory's twin sister, Melanie.'
'Kidnapping Sydney and killing Michelle...this is Centre operated, isn't it? Who broke Lyle out of prison? I mean, who's still around? Your mother? Who?' Jarod asked.
Sidney folded her arms.
'First of all, the local police think that Sydney killed his wife. We had to pull rank and take over.'
'They think Sydney killed Michelle? That's ridiculous!' Jarod snapped, feeling more and more agitated.
'Well, they don't have control over the investigation anymore, so it doesn't matter what they think, Jarod. We think that when Arvin Sloane made his plans to take over the Centre, certain plots began to take place.'
Jarod shook his head, glancing back over at Brian, who was holding Abigail.
'What plots?'
Sidney shook her head, disgusted with herself. Why hadn't she seen any of this coming?'
'Sidney, just tell me.' Jarod said in a calm voice.
'We think that Lyle faked Mr. Raines's death.'
Jarod just stared at her for a moment. Then he found his voice.
'Where is Brigitte? Is she in on this too?'
Sidney looked at Michael, who was moving closer to them. Jarod turned around and silently acknowledged him.
'Jarod,' Vaughn said, 'we have a tape we want you to look at. Then I think all we be clear..sort of.'
Jarod nodded, then walked over to Brian, Abigail, Ethan and Nicholas. He reached out and touched Nicholas's arm.
'I am sorry for your loss, Nicholas. We will get Sydney back. We will get the people that did this.'
'Jarod, just tell me: are these the same people that you were running from all of those years?' Nicholas asked.
Brian gasped! Abigail looked up at him.
'You said they were all in prison?!' Brian almost squeaked, clearly scared. Ethan put an arm around him.
'It will be alright.' he said. But Brian was not appeased.
'Where is Mom?' Brian asked Jarod. Jarod didn't answer him at first. It was a shame that Mallory could not be here to hear her son refer to her as 'Mom'.
'We don't know,' Jarod answered gently. 'But Sidney, Vaughn and I are going to fix this. Just stay here. I have to look at something with Sidney and Vaughn.'
'What?' Brian asked. But Ethan could tell that Jarod was not in the mood to play 20 questions.
'Come on, Brian. Let's just sit over here, okay?'
Nicholas reached out and took Abigail from a clearly distraught Brian. They then sat down. Other agents walked up and asked them if they wanted anything to eat or drink.
Jarod turned and walked back over to Sidney and Vaughn.
'Show me this tape.' he said.
****
Moments later, Jarod watched, as his wife walked into a prison waiting room to talk to Brigitte. Right away, Jarod took notice of the fact that Brigitte was wearing a suit. He looked over at Sidney and Vaughn.
'Where is her jail uniform?'
Vaughn cleared his throat.
'It looks as if this whole thing was a ruse to lure Mallory there. We have rounded up the rogue agents that helped pull this thing off, but we still haven't determined how or when they were turned.'
Jarod looked back at the tape, then watched as his wife turned around, as if she was looking at someone else that entered the room. Soon, Raines and....'
'Good God!' Jarod uttered.
'Yes, we don't think Mr. Parker died when he jumped out of that plane. We think that they were aware that there was going to be a take over, one that they were ill equipped to fend off. So a plan was put into motion. One that would lead Arvin Sloane to believe that all of his obstacles were taken care of, when in reality, his enemies were just regrouping, so they could eventually reclaim the Centre.' Sidney said.
'But,' Michael continued, 'neither Sloane, nor Mr. Parker and company, counted on the CIA infiltrating their organization.'
'With me.' Sidney said softly. Jarod was listening, but he was watching his wife's facial expressions of true horror. There was no sound, but he could see that she was distraught over her father returning from the dead.
Then Mallory turned back to face Brigitte. Jarod almost choked when he saw Raines pull out that needle and stab her in the back of the neck!
'What the hell was that?! What has he done to my wife?!' Jarod snapped.
'From the way she's collapsing...I'd day it's some sort of sedative or something.' Vaughn guessed.
'What the hell is going on here? You're saying that Mr. Parker is trying to create a new Centre?' Jarod asked tightly.
Sidney took a deep breath.
'Yes, in Carthis.'
Jarod's eyes widened!
'Carthis?!'
'Yes, Jarod, we also believe that they're going to want everyone back....Mallory, Sydney, Broots....'
'Myself and my children, right?' Jarod asked in a low tone. He watched as Mallory was dragged off out of the waiting area.
Sidney put a hand on his shoulder.
'That's not going to happen. We have Broots and Debbie here, safe. You all are going to stay here until...'
'No.' Jarod said. Vaughn looked at Sidney.
'Jarod, you have to stay here.' Vaughn cautioned him.
'I have to find my wife and Sydney.'
'Jarod, we will do that.' Sidney reassured him.
'Sidney, you have no idea what these people are like, or what they're capable of. Mallory is not the same woman she once was. Sydney has a new life....when they do not acquiesce to 'Centre Way of Life' again, there will be consequences....probably fatal. I'm going with you.'
'Jarod...'
But Vaughn pulled Sidney aside.
'Sid, he does know these people, probably better then anyone. He may be able to predict their next move. Plus, Broots is practically shaking in his boots, so we can't take him along. I mean, he does have a daughter.'
'And Jarod has a son and a daughter. No! He's just going to have to wait here. I won't put him in harm's way.'
Vaughn took a deep breath.
'I'm going to have to overrule you on this one, Sid.'
Sidney's mouth dropped open!
'Michael!'
'I'm sorry, but Jarod can take care of himself. And the sooner we shut this operation down, the sooner we can get back to living our own lives again.'
****
CENTRE PLANE
A livid Sydney, sat next to the still unconscious Mallory. He stood up and faced Mr. Parker.
'You killed my wife!'
Mr. Parker sighed heavily.
'That wasn't me, Sydney. It was two of my overzealous Sweepers. I'm sorry about the bloodshed, really I am, but if your wife hadn't been so obstinate about your coming with us...'
'You won't get away with this. Jarod and the CIA will come after you.'
'Yes, well we have plans for any CIA agents that try and stop us, no thanks to Raines over there.'
Raines was sitting in a seat next to Lyle, who was reading a paper.
'And,' Mr. Parker continued, 'it will be easier if Jarod comes to us and surrenders himself, and the kids. I hate the idea of making my Angel hunt him down again.'
Sydney glanced down at the unconscious Mallory. He then looked at her father again.
'What the hell are you talking about? Why would you think she would hunt Jarod again? He's her husband and the father of her children.'
'Shut up, Sydney!' Mr. Parker snapped. Brigitte came out of a back room and stood by her husband's side.
'Bobby is taking a nap now.' she said. Mr. Parker just nodded, but was still glaring at Sydney.
'What is the matter with you? Why can't you just leave us all in peace?'
'Because the Centre is my children's legacy and I will never give that up, ever! And Jarod is important to the survival of my future...of all our futures.'
'What?! Look, Mallory is never going to go along with this. Never!'
Mr. Parker raised a brow.
'Oh sure she will. You see, Mr. Raines, while in exile, was tinkering with that wonderful little drug that we gave Jarod and my Angel, years ago, and again, when she took up with him later on. When my little girl wakes up, she will be exactly like she used to be.'
Sydney's heart sank! Good God! He then looked at Brigitte.
'She's going to remember that you killed Thomas.'
Brigitte smiled.
'She'll wake up in a time when Thomas was not in her life. Though, I think Bobby will be hard to explain.'
Mr. Parker shrugged.
'We'll say he's your nephew or something. Oh...look here, she's coming around.'
Sydney swiftly sat down next to Mallory, hoping against hope that the drug had not worked again! He touched her face.
'Mallory? Mallory?'
'It's Ms. Parker to you, Sydney! You'd best remember that.' Mr. Parker said in almost a low growl.
Mallory awoke and looked around. Sydney was sitting next to her, and her father and Brigitte...what the hell had that woman done to her hair?!
'Angel? You were having some kind of nightmare.'
Mallory shook her head. She then slapped Sydney's hands off of her face!
'No, not that I remember. Syd, why are you looking at me like that?'
'Where are we?' Sydney asked her. Mallory's eyes widened.
'On a plane, okay?'
'Why?'
'Why what?'
'Why are we on the plane?' Sydney asked.
'Because we have a new lead on Jarod and we're going to pick him up. Daddy has hopped a ride with Brig-IT so they can go to some resort and Lyle and Raines are here to just take up air and space! What's with the 20 questions?'
Mr. Parker was immensely pleased!
'That's right, Angel.' he said, before he and Brigitte walked off. Raines and Lyle were looking over at them. Mr. Parker stopped to talk to them, while Brigitte moved to the next cabin to check on her little boy, for the millionth time.
'Mallory, you have to listen to me...'
'What did you call me?' Mallory snapped.
'Mallory...'
'How did you know that?'
Sydney took a deep breath. Jarod had once told him that Ms. Parker had whispered her real name to him, when they were children. Then, when it finally looked as if they were all free of that damnable Centre, only then, did Ms. Parker go by Mallory.
'Jarod told me.' Sydney said carefully.
'Jarod? Oh that's just swell! Where is Broots? I want to pinpoint Goldenboy's exact location to we can get the jump on Lyle!'
'Ma...Ms. Parker. You don't really want to capture Jarod.'
Ms. Parker looked around. What the hell was wrong with Sydney?
'Sydney, look I know he's like a son to you. I mean we all know if there was any other way...but there isn't. The sooner Jarod comes back home, the sooner...'
'Ms. Parker, listen to me! You have been drugged! You are married to Jarod now. You have two children...'
'What?!' Ms. Parker cried out. She jumped up. Mr. Parker and Lyle hurried over.
'What is it, Angel?' Mr. Parker asked, eyeing Sydney.
But Ms. Parker could not out Sydney. She just couldn't.
'Nothing. Just a little disagreement. Everything is fine.'
Lyle eyed her and Ms. Parker gave him a harsh stare in return. Lyle finally broke off eye contact, and he and Mr. Parker drifted away again.
Sydney looked at her.
'Thank you.'
'Don't thank me, Syd! It's obvious you're now working with Jarod against me! Where IS Broots?!'
'He's not here because he works for the CIA, Ms. Parker. You have been drugged, Jarod and you are married and you have a teenage son that was stolen from you when you were a teenager and a baby girl. You were kidnapped and drugged. The reality that you're mind is in now, is not the one we really live in. I have been kidnapped as well and my wife...'
Ms. Parker began to back away.
'Sydney? You need help. You don't have a wife.'
Sydney began to say something else, but she moved away from him, fearful. Sydney was the one that had been drugged, not her! And she planned to find out why such a cruel, unnecessary step was taken! Good God! The man even thought he had a wife! And Broots with the CIA?! Ha!
But the biggest laugh of all was that nonsense about her and Jarod having shared children! What a joke that was! Though, Jarod was not bad looking or anything. He never was. But she would never consider a relationship with him. She had always thought of him as more of a secret brother or something.
Lyle walked back over to her.
'So, we're setting a trap for Jarod in Carthis.'
'Carthis?'
'Yes and you're the bait.'
Ms. Parker shook her head slightly.
'Why? When he sees me he's just going to run the other way, same as always.'
Lyle's jaw tightened.
'This is the way our father wants to do it, okay?' he said and walked off. Ms. Parker's eyes locked with Sydney's, before she turned away. It was the first time she was beginning to feel as if something wasn't quite right.
Ms. Parker put her hands in her jacket pocket, and felt something. She pulled it out. It was a cellphone. One that she had never seen before.
Ms. Parker looked around, to make sure that no one was watching, then turned it on and began looking through the numbers. The numbers were for people named, Sidney...only that wasn't the way she spelled Sydney's name, Vaughn, Brian and....and... Jarod?!
Ms. Parker looked around again. She had a cellphone in her pocket with Jarod's cellphone number in it? Why? That made no sense because then, she would've caught him long ago!
And who were these other people listed?! Ms. Parker walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She then picked a name, other than Jarod's, and let it dial.
Meanwhile, Brian, who had his cellphone in his pants pocket, reached into it and pulled it out, looking at the number. His face lit up! It was his mother!
'Ethan! Mom is on the phone!' he cried out, as Nicholas jumped up and ran off to find Jarod.
'Mom?! Mom?! Where are you?! Dad and cousin Sidney are coming for you! Mom?! Mom?!'
Ms. Parker's hands began to shake, as she turned the phone off and let it fall to the floor. She stared at it for the longest time.